Milk bottle stopper



Nov. 21, 1939. T. D. CRANE n MILK BOTTLE STOPPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Sept. 50, v19256 WMM.

IA i Patented Nov. 21', 1939 UNITED STATES AT'ENT MILK BOTTLE STOPPER Theodore nl. crane, council Bluffs, Application September 30,

5 claims.

This invention relates to closures for recepparticularly for liquid containers tacles and more such as milk bottles or the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a 5 stopper for a milk bottle of few and simple parts which may be readily attached in a position of use on and removed from the bottle, for sterilizing and cleansing purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a closure means or stopper for a bottle having pouring from the bottle the contents thereof, said closure means being adapted an integral spout for to readily open for pouring purposes.

vide a device for the said silient parts susceptible of 20 substances which generate gases while sealed within ent invention providing carbonated Water and a freshing drinks and the like.

Other and further objects and advantagesof understood from the followbeing th'e invention will be Ving detailed description thereof, reference had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a bodiment of the view being taken Figure 2.v

Figure 2 is -a bottom member for the bottle shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 and showpreferred construction, the view being taken substantially on line 3 3 of ing a modification of the 0 Figure 4.

4 is a top plan view ci the closure device parts of said device being in a relative position for permitting the contents shown in Figure 3, the

of `the bottle to be poured therethrough.

tion.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional View of a further modication of the preferred construction.

ticular description and rst cates a vessel or 'nularly .disposed transverse sectional view of a fragment of a milk bottle having a preferred eminvention applied thereto, the substantially on line I-l of plan view of the closure Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the parts thereof ina closed or sealed posi- Referring to the drawings for 'a more parto Figure 1, ID indimilk bottle having a neck l, the open end thereof `being provided with an anreinforcing collar l2, the latter having a perimeter i3 'of "arcuate 4shape in cross Iowa.

crece 1936, Serial No. 103,274 Renewed March 31, 1939 (Cl. 21S-'76) section and an annular interior wall I4 which is substantially parallel with and of greater diameter than the interior wall portion It providing a step portion l5 disposed at a right angle with respect to said walls, thereby providing a recessed` annulus, in the neck Il, said parts and the form thereof being conventional.

The stopper or closure member of the preferred modication shown in Figure 1 includes a Washer it formed of resilient material such as rubber having an annular Wall Il which is normally of concaved contour in annular portion lllabut the interior Wall the junction of the cross section providing an which in use is adapted to i4 of the bottle adjacent wall il with the step l5, said wall Il being of slightly greater diameter than the wall Hl of the bot tle for purposes later described. The end of the Wall il opposite to the step l 5 is provided iares outwardly and step i5 and is adapted vcuate perimeter i3 of therewith for purposes with an annular recess I8I and downwardly towards the to snugly engage the arthe bottle and cooperate later described.

A spout l is preferably formed integral with the washer and in use extends beyond the side Wall of the bottle.

A plurality of lugs 2B, preferably three thereof being employed, are substantially equi-distantly spaced with respect to each other and are formed integral with the washer 6. Each lug is provided. with a head portion iii which extends towards the center of the washer and overlies the neck 2.2 of

each lug, whereby slots 23 are provided between each head and the upper surface 2li of the washer,

the latter said surfaceb eing convexed'in cross sec-i tion for purposes later described. v

One of the lugs 2t is provided with atank 25 for facilitating a manual movement of said 'head for freeing a later described disc at times when the stopper is detached from a bottle. A The washer is provided v'with an aperture 'E6 extending through it in parallelism with the axis thereof for air vent purposes, said aperture being oppositely disposed with respect to Vthe pouring spout i9 and also in parallelism withA an orificel or aperture 2l, the latter being comparatively of greater area than the aperture 26, said spout, aperture and orifice, being in alignment transversely 'of the washer.

Avdisc 28 formed of provided having a convexed contour in cross section corresponding to the shape of the surface i.2li of the washer I6, said disc being axially disposed in use upon and with respect to the said washer,

said disc being-normali y vmaintaine'd in ysaid posi-;

any suitable material is"A tion by means of the heads 2I of the lugs 20, the perimeter 29 of said disc being received within the slots 23, said disc being adapted at times to have revoluble movements in said slots for purposes later described.

The disc 28 is provided with an aperture 30 which is of substantially the same diameter as the aperture 26 of the washer and is adapted to be positioned in alignment at times with said aperture for ventingl the interior of the bottle. Similarly the disc 28 is provided with an opening 3| therethrough and is adapted to be rotated for aligning the opening 3I and orifice 21 of the washer for permitting pouring of the contents of the bottle through the then aligned orifice 21 and opening 3|.

The opening 3I is provided through the disc by means of a punch press operation, preferably, the material being struck outwardly from the disc and bent to provide a handle 32 for facilitating rotating the disc, said handle as best shown in Figure 1 being bent towards the disc appreciably for providing a finger hold 33 for lifting and carrying the bottle.

In operation the stopper or washer I6 is pressed into the neck of the bottle, the comparatively stiff disc 28 facilitating the operation, the bottom surface of the washer adjacent the junction thereof with the wall I1 engaging the inner annular wall of the bottle adjacent the step I5, causing the corner I1 of the washer to be forced into the corner of the step and wall I4 of the bottle or against the said wall, the flared portion I8 of the stopper snugly abutting the arcuate perimeter I3 of the bottle for providing a seal, at more than one place between the bottle and stopper.

When in said position and as thus described it will be understood that the heads 2i of the lugs 20 become tilted towards the central portion of the washer by means of the pressure exerted on the lugs by the engagement of the washer with the perimeter I3 of the bottle, causing said heads to lightly squeeze upon the disc 28 for providing a seal between the disc 28 and the upper surface 24 of the washer while at the same time permitting the disc to be manually rotatable with respect to the washer for causing the apertures of the disc and washer to align for pouring purposes and also permitting the disc to be further rotated for sealing the bottle.

The pouring spout I9 is provided with a lip 34 which during pouring operations functions to retain thereon drops of liquid or material which does not become free 4from the spout during pouring operations, whereby said liquid may be readily wiped from said lip.

It will be noted that the operator may at times when the stopper is out of. the bottle place his thumb against the tang 25 of the lug having said tang for causing the head of the lug to be moved away from the disc 28 for freeing the latter, whereby the disc may be readily separated from the washer for cleansing and sterilizing purposes.

The disc is, provided Witba stop 36 which. 1s adapted to abut against the sides of the lugs 2U as illustrated in Figure 2 for limiting the mOi/ee ment of the disc with respect to the washer for facilitating the aligning of the orifice 21 and opening 3| and providing an air vent,

Referring to the modification shown in Figures 4 and 5 the latter is similar to the preferred modification shown in Figure 1 and functions similarly for the same purposes, except that the washer 40 of said modification is formed with a preferably integral shaft 4I having an expanded head 42, said shaft extending through an aperture 43 provided axially through a disc 44 for assuring that the disc 44 will firmly abut the washer 40 at all times, said construction being particularly useful in instances where expanding gases or substances are contained in the bottle for further sealing the disc with respect to the washer particularly adjacent the axis of said disc and washer.

The further modification shown in Figure 6 includes a ball 5i) formed of any suitable material and having a shaft 5I secured to the disc 28" by any suitable means such as peening the shaft as indicated at 52 or the like. The washer of this modification is provided with a recess 53 formed therein for receiving the ball 50, said ball being of slightly greater diameter than the diameter of the recess 53 whereby at times when the stopper is pressed into a bottle the washer portions adjacent to the ball are squeezed against the latter for effecting a seal between the disc of the device and adjacent its medial portion and between it and the washer, said seal being particularly useful at times when carbonated waters or the like are to be agitated within the bottle. The recess 50 is provided with a bore 54 extending through the washer which facilitates cleaning the parts at times when the washer and disc are taken apart for said purpose. The modifications of the preferred constructions are each also provided with a 4stop 36.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modications being restricted only by the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A stopper for a container having a recessed annulus in the neck thereof comprising a resilient Washer provided with a plurality of spaced apart apertures and having a convex outer surface, said washer adapted to be squeezed into cooperative relation with Said annulus for sealing said container, revoluble sealing means f or said apertures of the washer engaging the convex surface of the washer, comprising a diseI axially disposed with respect to and removably secured to said washer, said disc having a plurality of apertures spaced apart coincidingly with respect to the apertures of the washer, said disc adapted to be manually rotated for causing the apertures thereof to align with the apertures of the'- washer for permitting pouring of contents of the container through the stopper, and inwardly pro-n jecting means carried by Said washer frictionally engaging the marginal portions of said disc,

2. A device for sealing a container having an annular wall in the neck thereof comprising a resilient washer having a perimeter adapted to be snugly engaged with the said wall for closing said neck and provided with a c onvex outer surface, said washer having an outlet orifice and an air vent;J aperture, said washer provided with a plurality of spaced apart integral lugs disposed adjacent the perimeter thereof, said lugs hav ing heads overlying the washer toward the medial portions thereof and providing slots disposed between said heads and Said washer, and. sealing means for said orifice and air vent snugly engaging the convex surface of said washer comprising a disc circular in plan provided with apertures adapted to align respectively with said orifice and 4. A stopper for a container having an annular Wall in the neck thereof comprising a resilient Washer provided with a plurality of spaced apart apertures and a convex outer surface, said Washer adapted to be squeezed into cooperative relation with said wall for sealing said container, revolucontents outwardly of the container.

5. A combined stopper and pouring means for a milk bottle comprising an annular vmember ber, and plate.

THEODORE D. CRANE. 

